John Braithwaite‘s reintegrative shaming theory and research is relevant here. Shaming can be effective, but mostly only if it is reintegrative instead of stigmatizing. I’d say this is an example of the latter since it relies on stereotypes that pink is feminine and beliefs that pink is emasculating to men, thus attempting to stigmatize these incarcerated men as girly or even gay. It relies on the idea that being labeled girly or gay is an insult and thus perpetuates multiple forms of gender oppression.

So there you have it. I wasn’t making it up.

Read the article I liked to above about Braithwaite. it discusses his most famous book, Crime, Shame and Reintegration, but the link to it in the article is broken.